Slicing machine



Feb. 2, 1960 G. L. JQUIN 2,923,337

SLICING MACHINE Fil ed Oct. 14, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG-1 FIG-2 35 2s56 Hfi i 85 30 3| 7 25 37 h 8 III [II 39 in H 11" H! l 3, I H II n 22 LINVENTOR.

GERMAIN L. JOUIN BY ATTORNEYS Feb. 2, 1960 G. L. JOUIN 2,923,337 sucmcMACHINE Filed Oct. 14, 1957 FIG-4 2 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

GERMAIN L. JOUIN ATTORNEYS air- United States Patent 2,923,337 SLIClNGMACHINE Louis Jouin, Paris, France, assignor to The Hobart ManufacturingCompany, Troy, Ohio, :1 corporation of Ohio Application October 14,1957', Serial No. 690,638 6 Claims. (Cl. 146-78) This invention relatesto vegetable slicers, and more particularly to a machine for slicingvegetables such as potatoes into shapes suitable for frying and thelike.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a machine forslicing potatoes into pieces suitable for frying which operatesautomatically to advance successive potatoes to a cutting stationforming a part of the machine, which is of simple and novel constructionfacilitating both the initial production of the machine and-also themaintenance thereof in use, and which also is highl efficient inoperation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a slicing 'rnachine asoutlined above wherein each potato is sliced entirely into pieces in asingle pass through the cutting station, and wherein also the severalpieces into which *each potato is sliced are uniformly straight-sided.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a slicing machine asoutlined above wherein the cutting station is constructed both toprovide ready access to the interior 'of the machine and also for quickand easy change of the cutting mechanism in accordance with particulartype of sliced product desired and without otherwise affecting Fig. 3 isa detail section taken as indicated by the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a combined sectional view largely on the line 44 of Fig. 2 butwith the left-hand portion on the line Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectiontaken approximately on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; w

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section taken approximately on the line 6 6 ofFig. 4;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail front elevational view of the cuttermechanism in Figs. 1-4;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section similar to Fig. 4 and showing anotherform of cutter mechanism; Fig. 9 is a detail view in front elevation ofthe cutter mechanism of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 8 showing another form of cuttercarrier for use on the machine of Figs. 1-4;

Fig. 11 is a front elevational view of one form of cutter unit for useon the cutter carrier of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line l2 -l2 of Fig.11; and

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 11 showing another form of cuttermember for use on the carrier of Fig. 10. I Referring to the drawings,which illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention, themain housing Patented Feb. 2, 1960 of the apparatus includes an annularcasing 20 mounted by bolts 21 on the side wall portion 22 of a casting23 which is in turn secured on a base 24. A hopper 25 for the potatoes26 to be cut is mounted on the opposite side of the casing 20 by bolts27. The drive motor 30 is also mounted on the casting 23 by a bracket31, and the motor drive shaft 32 carries a gear 33 by which the drive ofthe motor is transmitted to a planetary transmission comprising a planetgear 34 and a ring gear 35 clamped between the bracket 31 and casting23. The planet gear 34 is carried by a carrier 36 secured on the cutterdrive shaft 37 which is mounted by suitable bearings 38in an internalboss portion 39 of the casing 23.

The casing 20 includes a central portion 40 which is of generallychanneled construction in radial section to form a generally cylindricaltrack along which the successive potatoes travel in the operation of themachine as described hereinafter. The track 40 has a cut-out 41 at isinstalled at this cut-out. It includes a carrier member '42 which ispivoted on the casing at 43 for swinging movement between the retractedposition indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4 and its full line operativeposition in which it overlies the cut-out 41 and is locked on the casingby means of the arm 44 and lock screw 45 as shown in Fig. 4.

The cutting mechanism is shown in Figs. 1-7 as constructed for slicingpotatoes into elongated pieces of generally square section for Frenchfrying. A plurality of elongated knives 50 are mounted at their oppositeends in the carrier 42 and project within the track 40 in parallelplanes extending radially of the casing 20. An addi tional set of knives51 is mounted on the front of the carrier 42 in horizontally extendingand vertically offset relation on the stepped portions 52 of the carrier42. With this arrangement, therefore, a potato moving along the track 40will first be cut into slab-like portions by the knives 50 arrangedradially of the track, and these slab portions will then be cut by theknives 51 into. pieces of square section which are discharged at thefront of the machine.

The individual potatoes 26 are carried along the track 40 for slicing bymeans of a rotor mounted within the casing 20 and indicated generally bythe reference character 55. This rotor includes a back plate 56 securedas indicated at 51 on a hub 58 which is in turn keyed on the shaft 37 asshown in Fig. 2. The rotor 55 also includes one or more, shown as two,vane members 60, each of which is arranged to form a pocket 61 in theradially outer surface of the rotor. As best seen in'Figs. 4 and 5 thepocket 61 is of generally channel shape in radial section, and its innerwall is arranged in diverging relation with the track 40 in thedirection of rotation of the rotor'to provide a .wedging action towardtrack 40 on a potato 26 received in the pocket. This configuration ofthe pocket also tends to align a potato therein along its longest axisas indicated in Fig. 4. In addition, the radially outer portion of eachvane 60 is provided with a plurality of slots 62 coinciding with theblades 50 to admit these blades to the interior of the pocket 61 forslicing a potato being carried therein'through the cutting station.

Provision is also made for supplying potatoes one at a time to theinterior of the rotor55 to be picked up and carried through the cuttingstation for the desired slicing operation. Referring particularly toFigs. 1 and '2, a hollow screw conveyor 70 is secured at its inner endon the outer face of the rotor 55, as by means of its flange portion 71and a plurality of screws 72, and the conveyor 70 includes relativelydeep internal threads 73 running the full length thereof. The open outerend of the conveyor 70 extends to a position closely adjacent theinclined bottom portion of the supply hopper 25 and the tions.

in the form of a cut-out 77 sized to permit the passage of a potatotherethrough, but this cut-out is covered 'by a flapper 80 of heavyrubber or similar flexible material provided with a curved back-up plate81 on the underside of'the shutter.

The normal position of the shutter 75 is shown in full lines in Fig. l,and in this position it extends sufficiently close to the inclinedbottom wall of the hopper 25 to prevent the passage of a potato throughthe cut-out 77. There is an operative connection between the screwconveyor 70 and the shutter '75 causing the latter to oscillate in suchmanner as to admit potatoes to the outer end of the conveyor in timedrelation with the rotation of the rotor. This drive includes a cam 85formed by a circumferential flange on the conveyor and cooperatingwith afollower roller '86 carried by a bracket 87 on the underside of theshutter 75. The cam 85 has high points 88 on opposite sides thereof suchthat as the conveyor 70 rotates, the shutter 75 will be oscillatedbetween the full and dotted line positions shown in Fig. l. Eachxsuch"-movement of the shutter will permit a single potato to pass the cut-out77 and flapper 80 for delivery to the .open end of the conveyor .70 asshown-in Fig. 2, and two such operations occur .for .each completerevolution .of the conveyor '74). The continued rotation of the conveyorwill cause the successive potatoes to travel along theJin- 'ternalthreads 73 in the conveyor. into the interior or the rotor, where thesuccessive potatoes will in turn be picked up .by the vanes 69 andcarried through the cutting station as already described.

The construction of the slicing machine of the .invention as shown inFigs. 1-7 oifers substantial practical advantages. "l'hus the cuttercarrier and its associated knife blades are proportioned to receive acomplete potato therethrough and to have it slice each potato in 'asingle pass through the cutting station, with the result that twopotatoes are completely sliced for each complete revolution of therotor. In addition, with the blades 51 of the straight cross section andsmall width shown in the-drawings and with the stepped portions .52 ofthe character 42 constructed to position these blades tangentially ofthe rotor axis, all of the slices into which each potato is cutwill be'found :to be substantially uniformly straightsided.

on :the carrier 42. The blades i92may bemounted .on

the carrier 90 in the same mannerv as the horizontal blades 11 and 12 isprovided with a cutting grating comprising. a plurality of individual"holes 98 each having aportion oiits surrounding edgeformedinto abladefor the'pnrpose. of slicing the potatoes into straw or string likepor- The cutter blade 99 in Fig. 13 isxformed with a different cuttinggrating comprising closely spaced paral- 'lel cutter portions adapted toslice the potato into "the very thin flat strips for cooking as potatochips. Either of the cutters .97 and 99, or other similar construe-tedstitute preferred embodiments -of the invention, it is to be understoodthat the invention is not limited to these precise forms of apparatus,and that changes may be made therein without departing from'the scope ofthe in vention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine of the character described for slicing potatoes and thelike, comprising a hollow casing including a wall defining a generallycylindrical track, said wall having an opening therethroug h, cuttermeans mounted in said opening and including a plurality of blades ofthin flat section projecting within said track and arranged with thecutting edges thereof parallel with "the "axis of said track incircumferentially spaced relation with respect to the center of saidtrack to effect successive cuts in a potato traveling along said track,a rotor mounted for rotation Within said casing concentrically with saidtrack, means on said rotor for carrying potatoes "one at a time alongsaid track for engagement With said cutter means, means for supplyingpotatoes to said rotor,

'thetotal circumferential spacing of said blades being sufficient toefiect complete cutting of each said potato ma single pass through saidcutter means, and means maintaining said blades with the fiat sidesthereof in substan- .having an opening therethrough, cutter meansmounted in said opening and including a plurality ofblades of thinflatsection projecting within said track and arranged with the cuttingedges thereof parallel with the axis of said track in circumferentiallyspaced relation with respect to the center of said track to effectsuccessive cuts in a potato traveling along said track, a rotor mountedfor rotation within said casing concentrically with said track, means onsaid rotor for carrying potatoes one at a time along said track forengagement with said cutter means, means for supplying potatoes to saidrotor, the total circumferential spacing of said blades being sufiicientto effect complete cutting of each said potato in a single pass throughsaid cutter means, means maintaining said blades with the flat sidesthereof in substantially parallel relation with each other and intangential relation with said track to effect cutting of each saidpotatointo pieces of substantially uniform thickness, and additionalblades mounted in underlying relation with said plurality of blades andextending generally radially of said track to slice said potatoes atsubstantially right angles to said plurality of blades into pieces ofsubstantially rectangular section.

3. A machine of thecharacter described for slicing potatoes and thelike, comprising a hollow casing-including a Wall defining a generallycylindricaltrac'k, said wall having an opening .therethrou gh, a cutter'carrier'mounted on said casingv in overlying relation with saidopenin'g,

' a plurality of blades of thin flat section mounted on said carrierwith the cutting edges thereof 'projecting'within "said track, saidblades being arranged with said'cutting means on'said rotor for carryingpotatoes one at a time along said track for engagement with said cuttermeans,

' means for supplying potatoes to said rotor, the total cir-:cumferential spacing ofsaid blades being suflicient to effect completecutting of each said potato in a single pass through said blades, andmeans maintaining said blades in tangential relation with said track toeffect cutting of each said potato into pieces of substantially uniformthickness.

4. A machine of the character described for slicing potatoes and thelike, comprising a hollow casing including a wall defining a generallycylindrical track, said wall having an opening therethrough, a cuttercarrier pivoted on said casing for movement between an operativeposition in overlying relation with said opening and a retractedposition exposing said opening for access to the interior of saidcasing, a plurality of blades of thin flat section mounted on saidcarrier with the cutting edges thereof adapted to project Within saidtrack, said blades being arranged with said cutting edges parallel withthe axis of said track and with the flat sides thereof in parallel andspaced relation circumferentially of said track to effect successivecuts on a potato traveling along said track, a rotor mounted forrotation within said casing concentrically with said track, means onsaid rotor for carrying potatoes one at a time along said track forengagement with said cutter means, the total circumferential spacing ofsaid blades being suflicient to effect complete cutting of each saidpotato in a single pass through said blades, and means maintaining saidblades in tangential relation with said track to effect cutting of eachsaid potato into pieces of substantially uniform thickness.

5. A machine of the character described for slicing potatoes and thelike, comprising a hollow casing including a wall defining a generallycylindrical track, said wall having an opening therethrough, a cuttercarrier pivoted on said casing for movement between an operativeposition in overlying relation with said opening and a retractedposition exposing said opening for access to the interior of saidcasing, a plurality of blades of thin fiat section mounted on saidcarrier with the edges thereof adapted to project within said track,said blades being arranged with said cutting edges parallel with theaxis of said track and with the flat sides thereof in parallel andspaced relation circumferentially of said track to effect successivecuts on a potato traveling along said track, means maintaining saidblades in tangential relation with said track in said operative positionof said carrier to effect cutting of said potato into pieces ofsubstantially uniform thickness, a rotor mounted for rotation withinsaid casing concentrically with said track, means on said rotor forcarrying potatoes one at a time along said track for engagement withsaid cutter means, the total circumferential spacing of said bladesbeing sufficient to effect complete cutting of each said potato in asingle pass through said blades, and additional blades mounted on saidcarrier and extending generally radially of said track to slice saidpotatoes at right angles to said plurality of blades into pieces ofsubstantially rectangular section.

6. A machine of the character described for slicing potatoes and thelike, comprising a hollow casing including a wall defining a generallycylindrical track, said track having an opening therethrough, cuttersupport means mounted in overlying relation with said opening, aplurality of knife blades proportioned to extend axially across saidtrack in said opening, said blades being of thin flat section andrelatively small width, means mounting said blades on said support meanswith the cutting edges thereof parallel with the axis of said track andwith the flat sides thereof in spaced parallel relation with each otherand in tangentialrelation with said track to effect succe-ssive paralleland straight slices in a potato traveling along said track, a rotormounted for rotation vn'thin said casing concentrically with said track,means on said'rotor for carrying potatoes one at a time along said trackfor engagement with said blades, the total number and spacing of saidblades being sufficient to effect complete cutting of each said potatoin a single pass therethrough, and means for supplying potatoes to saidrotor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS820,762 Boutell May 15, 1906 1,642,705 Tuttle Sept. 20, 1927 2,004,548Abbott June 11, 1935 2,539,002 Abbott Jan. 23, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS414,542 Germany June 5, 1925 430,266 Great Britain June 17, 1935 449,613Great Britain June 29, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GERTEFICATE 0FCORRECTION Patent No, 2,923,337

February 2 1960 Germain Louis Jouin Column 4, line l2 for "In a machine"read A machine Signed and sealed this 26th day of .July 1960,

(SEAL) Attest:

KARL H. AXLINE ROBERT C. WATSON Attesting Ofiicer Commissioner ofPatents'

